Chapter Eight
"Commander Riker, is it?" Sisko asked with an edge of suspicion as he stood up and looked squarely at Riker. Riker took a few steps forward into the office and then stopped as he heard someone come up from behind him; he turned to see who it was. A mass of golden liquid picked itself up from the floor and seemed to stretch upward continuously changing shape until it found its more familiar form. Constable Odo emerged and stood his ground guarding the door so that no-one could enter or leave. Riker looked puzzled glancing from Odo to Sisko and back again.
"Captain, what's going on?" Riker asked clearly confused.
"The question is who are you and what are you doing here?" Odo said in his raspy sort of voice that was full of innuendo.
"I'm Commander William T. Riker of the starship Enterprise and we've met before, a few times so how don't you know me?" Will asked, very confused and a bit anxious- he really didn't have time for this.
"You see we met not that long ago and we were fooled by your counterpart, Thomas Riker." Riker nodded his head beginning to see what all of this was about. "He stole the Defiant and I'm sorry but we really can't tell the difference between the two of you." Sisko informed him
"Right, well I really don't know how to convince you of who I am, but I can see the predicament that you're in." Riker said understandingly.
"So it seems that we're stuck, doesn't it?" Sisko said picking up the baseball from its stand on his desk, and throwing it up in the air, catching it when it fell and repeating the motion.
"We certainly are but I really don't have time for these games. Here," Riker handed Sisko the pad with the orders from Captain Picard on. "These are orders from Captain Picard to relieve Dr. Bashir from your command." Sisko raised his eyebrows and took the pad from Riker. He read over them then slumped back in his chair and sighed heavily. Picard was a senior captain to Sisko and he couldn't really stop the transfer of an officer unless absolutely necessary.
"These orders don't tell me why you want our good doctor. Would you care to enlighten me, Commander?"
"I believe that you've had word from Command saying that the Enterprise is in the Grizean star system trying to find the Washington?" Sisko nodded his head slowly and Riker continued. "Our chief medical officer has taken ill and is near death as we speak, we believe that Dr. Bashir has been working on something that could help her, and that is why we need him."
"How do we know that this isn't some sort of Maquis plan of yours?" Odo said from behind Will.
"You don't, look I don't know how to convince you- I knew he was going to be a problem the moment we rescued him, but well, we need the doctor now and I must head back to my ship. Your both welcome to come with me if you like." Riker offered; it may make this conversation go more quickly.
"I don't think that will be necessary, Commander." Odo stepped forward to protest but Sisko held up his hand, "I believe him, Constable. Dr. Bashir is relieved to you for the duration that you need him," Riker sighed in relief. Sisko stood up and moved over to Riker. "Please bring him back in one piece and don't work him too hard. I hope your CMO gets well soon."
"Thank you, Captain. I really have to get going soon, I think O'Brien is repairing my shuttle though." Riker said.
"That's all right, we can go by the infirmary and pick up the doctor on the way to your shuttle." Sisko smiled and escorted Riker out of his office, leading him to where Bashir was located.
Troi was determined not to let her friend go through whatever it was alone. She entered sickbay once again and saw Dr. Selar out of the corner of her eye. Selar looked up and approached the counsellor. "I assume you are ready to try again, Counsellor?"
"Yes, I've spoken with the captain and informed him of everything so far. He is happy for me to continue as well." Troi told her while mentally preparing herself for the task ahead.
"Very well, I am ready for you to begin when ever you feel comfortable, Counsellor." She put down the pad she was working on and gave Troi her full attention.
Troi moved over to the chair beside Crusher's bio-bed and sat down. She held her hand again finding it easier to communicate that way- almost like a Vulcan mind meld. She closed her eyes and Selar replaced the cortical stimulator on her forehead, then went to monitor from the console at the back of sickbay again.
Troi reached out with her mind again and waited for another of Crusher's memories to resurface.
The parcel arrived and Beverly opened it cautiously. It was from Jack, and Jack was always playing some sort of practical joke on people these days. She didn't want anything to spring out on her like it did the last time she received a parcel from him.
Beverly and Jack had not been seeing that much of each other recently but their relationship was becoming stronger and stronger by the day, as they say: "absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Beverly was still at the Academy studying medicine but Jack had graduated three years ago. Jack was off on assignment at this time, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard on board the deep space exploration vessel, Stargazer. He had been gone for one week and already she was missing him immensely. She thought about him for a long moment, temporarily forgetting about the parcel that was on her knee.
Jack had served with Picard for three years now and he had already advanced to the rank of lieutenant. Picard was a very good friend of his and Beverly had met him once or twice before, he was very charming and demanded the best in everyone all of the time. In his eyes, Jack had been the best and so he had got the posting on the Stargazer fresh out of the Academy, and rose up a notch on the rank structure quite quickly.
Her attention returned back to the box in front of her and away from the empty hole inside her that had appeared with Jack's absence.
The parcel was nicely wrapped in a box and decorated with bows and coloured paper. She opened it and looked inside to find a book. She gazed at it puzzled as she lifted it out and read the front cover. "'How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage.'" She smiled widely knowing that it was Jack's way of proposing to her. She didn't need to think about it but knew instantly that the right decision was to say yes. She thought about all of the time they had spent together, where they had first met and about all of the dancing lessons she had given him- which had brought them closer together, and eventually to this point in her life. She was overwhelmed with joy and she immediately sent a communiqué back to Jack with her answer.
Troi sat up in the chair again and turned to look at Selar. "I felt overwhelming joy and Beverly was regaining strength through it."
"Her readings did get better there and they have not deteriorated as yet. What happened?" Selar asked with as puzzled an expression as a Vulcan could muster.
"She was reliving a pleasant memory of the time when Jack, her late husband proposed." She stopped and thought a second. "Wait, if we can somehow manipulate her mind only to remember the good memories she may regain consciousness."
"Similar to the way we did when Commander Riker fell into a coma six years ago, though in reverse?" Selar asked, wanting to understand fully.
"Yes, instead of making her remember bad memories, we isolate all of the good ones and use them instead." Troi explained.
"How do you propose we do that?" Selar asked.
"How did we do it the last time?"
"Dr. Pulaski reasoned that endorphins in the brain of Commander Riker may have been able to kill off the microbes infecting him. Thus subjecting Commander Riker to certain endorphins and therefore certain memories, we were able to combat the microbes and bring him out of the coma. I don't know if it will work in Dr. Crusher's case though since microbes are not causing her condition. And another thing, it is quite easy to produce endorphins to resurface bad memories but to manipulate the brain to produce endorphins to resurface good memories is a lot trickier. I don't think I can do it but when Dr. Bashir gets here he may be able to do it, I believe that it may be the essence of his research." Selar looked at Troi as her expression suddenly changed. "Is there something wrong, Counsellor?"
"What if she relives the memory of Jack's death? She's only just beginning to fully get over it now, if she remembers that it may very well be the death of her." Troi said as her heart sank at the prospect of her best friend's death.
"Then you are going to have to go back into her mind and make yourself known, Counsellor. If you explain what is happening and make her remember anything but that..."
"Yes, that might be the answer. I hope it works." Troi said pleased that they had finally made some sort of breakthrough and were on the verge of being able to do something useful to help Beverly.
"As do I but remember that you could suffer yourself." Selar warned her again.
"I'll remember to take it slowly."
Troi entered the mind of her friend once more and with a new agenda.
A/N: Please leave a review... thanks.
"Commander Riker, is it?" Sisko asked with an edge of suspicion as he stood up and looked squarely at Riker. Riker took a few steps forward into the office and then stopped as he heard someone come up from behind him; he turned to see who it was. A mass of golden liquid picked itself up from the floor and seemed to stretch upward continuously changing shape until it found its more familiar form. Constable Odo emerged and stood his ground guarding the door so that no-one could enter or leave. Riker looked puzzled glancing from Odo to Sisko and back again.
"Captain, what's going on?" Riker asked clearly confused.
"The question is who are you and what are you doing here?" Odo said in his raspy sort of voice that was full of innuendo.
"I'm Commander William T. Riker of the starship Enterprise and we've met before, a few times so how don't you know me?" Will asked, very confused and a bit anxious- he really didn't have time for this.
"You see we met not that long ago and we were fooled by your counterpart, Thomas Riker." Riker nodded his head beginning to see what all of this was about. "He stole the Defiant and I'm sorry but we really can't tell the difference between the two of you." Sisko informed him
"Right, well I really don't know how to convince you of who I am, but I can see the predicament that you're in." Riker said understandingly.
"So it seems that we're stuck, doesn't it?" Sisko said picking up the baseball from its stand on his desk, and throwing it up in the air, catching it when it fell and repeating the motion.
"We certainly are but I really don't have time for these games. Here," Riker handed Sisko the pad with the orders from Captain Picard on. "These are orders from Captain Picard to relieve Dr. Bashir from your command." Sisko raised his eyebrows and took the pad from Riker. He read over them then slumped back in his chair and sighed heavily. Picard was a senior captain to Sisko and he couldn't really stop the transfer of an officer unless absolutely necessary.
"These orders don't tell me why you want our good doctor. Would you care to enlighten me, Commander?"
"I believe that you've had word from Command saying that the Enterprise is in the Grizean star system trying to find the Washington?" Sisko nodded his head slowly and Riker continued. "Our chief medical officer has taken ill and is near death as we speak, we believe that Dr. Bashir has been working on something that could help her, and that is why we need him."
"How do we know that this isn't some sort of Maquis plan of yours?" Odo said from behind Will.
"You don't, look I don't know how to convince you- I knew he was going to be a problem the moment we rescued him, but well, we need the doctor now and I must head back to my ship. Your both welcome to come with me if you like." Riker offered; it may make this conversation go more quickly.
"I don't think that will be necessary, Commander." Odo stepped forward to protest but Sisko held up his hand, "I believe him, Constable. Dr. Bashir is relieved to you for the duration that you need him," Riker sighed in relief. Sisko stood up and moved over to Riker. "Please bring him back in one piece and don't work him too hard. I hope your CMO gets well soon."
"Thank you, Captain. I really have to get going soon, I think O'Brien is repairing my shuttle though." Riker said.
"That's all right, we can go by the infirmary and pick up the doctor on the way to your shuttle." Sisko smiled and escorted Riker out of his office, leading him to where Bashir was located.
Troi was determined not to let her friend go through whatever it was alone. She entered sickbay once again and saw Dr. Selar out of the corner of her eye. Selar looked up and approached the counsellor. "I assume you are ready to try again, Counsellor?"
"Yes, I've spoken with the captain and informed him of everything so far. He is happy for me to continue as well." Troi told her while mentally preparing herself for the task ahead.
"Very well, I am ready for you to begin when ever you feel comfortable, Counsellor." She put down the pad she was working on and gave Troi her full attention.
Troi moved over to the chair beside Crusher's bio-bed and sat down. She held her hand again finding it easier to communicate that way- almost like a Vulcan mind meld. She closed her eyes and Selar replaced the cortical stimulator on her forehead, then went to monitor from the console at the back of sickbay again.
Troi reached out with her mind again and waited for another of Crusher's memories to resurface.
The parcel arrived and Beverly opened it cautiously. It was from Jack, and Jack was always playing some sort of practical joke on people these days. She didn't want anything to spring out on her like it did the last time she received a parcel from him.
Beverly and Jack had not been seeing that much of each other recently but their relationship was becoming stronger and stronger by the day, as they say: "absence makes the heart grow fonder."
Beverly was still at the Academy studying medicine but Jack had graduated three years ago. Jack was off on assignment at this time, under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard on board the deep space exploration vessel, Stargazer. He had been gone for one week and already she was missing him immensely. She thought about him for a long moment, temporarily forgetting about the parcel that was on her knee.
Jack had served with Picard for three years now and he had already advanced to the rank of lieutenant. Picard was a very good friend of his and Beverly had met him once or twice before, he was very charming and demanded the best in everyone all of the time. In his eyes, Jack had been the best and so he had got the posting on the Stargazer fresh out of the Academy, and rose up a notch on the rank structure quite quickly.
Her attention returned back to the box in front of her and away from the empty hole inside her that had appeared with Jack's absence.
The parcel was nicely wrapped in a box and decorated with bows and coloured paper. She opened it and looked inside to find a book. She gazed at it puzzled as she lifted it out and read the front cover. "'How to Advance Your Career Through Marriage.'" She smiled widely knowing that it was Jack's way of proposing to her. She didn't need to think about it but knew instantly that the right decision was to say yes. She thought about all of the time they had spent together, where they had first met and about all of the dancing lessons she had given him- which had brought them closer together, and eventually to this point in her life. She was overwhelmed with joy and she immediately sent a communiqué back to Jack with her answer.
Troi sat up in the chair again and turned to look at Selar. "I felt overwhelming joy and Beverly was regaining strength through it."
"Her readings did get better there and they have not deteriorated as yet. What happened?" Selar asked with as puzzled an expression as a Vulcan could muster.
"She was reliving a pleasant memory of the time when Jack, her late husband proposed." She stopped and thought a second. "Wait, if we can somehow manipulate her mind only to remember the good memories she may regain consciousness."
"Similar to the way we did when Commander Riker fell into a coma six years ago, though in reverse?" Selar asked, wanting to understand fully.
"Yes, instead of making her remember bad memories, we isolate all of the good ones and use them instead." Troi explained.
"How do you propose we do that?" Selar asked.
"How did we do it the last time?"
"Dr. Pulaski reasoned that endorphins in the brain of Commander Riker may have been able to kill off the microbes infecting him. Thus subjecting Commander Riker to certain endorphins and therefore certain memories, we were able to combat the microbes and bring him out of the coma. I don't know if it will work in Dr. Crusher's case though since microbes are not causing her condition. And another thing, it is quite easy to produce endorphins to resurface bad memories but to manipulate the brain to produce endorphins to resurface good memories is a lot trickier. I don't think I can do it but when Dr. Bashir gets here he may be able to do it, I believe that it may be the essence of his research." Selar looked at Troi as her expression suddenly changed. "Is there something wrong, Counsellor?"
"What if she relives the memory of Jack's death? She's only just beginning to fully get over it now, if she remembers that it may very well be the death of her." Troi said as her heart sank at the prospect of her best friend's death.
"Then you are going to have to go back into her mind and make yourself known, Counsellor. If you explain what is happening and make her remember anything but that..."
"Yes, that might be the answer. I hope it works." Troi said pleased that they had finally made some sort of breakthrough and were on the verge of being able to do something useful to help Beverly.
"As do I but remember that you could suffer yourself." Selar warned her again.
"I'll remember to take it slowly."
Troi entered the mind of her friend once more and with a new agenda.
A/N: Please leave a review... thanks.